Donate To Help Gama Droiville Through His Recovery From April 14’s Flatbush Avenue Shooting
Several neighbors have inquired about helping Gama Droiville, the 13-year-old bystander who was shot twice during the April 14 shooting on Flatbush Avenue and Beverley Road, believed to have been targeting 24-year-old Eduardo Dolphy. Gama was waiting with his aunt Laurieuse Droiville for a bus at about 12pm when the gunman opened fire, striking Dolphy, who was exiting a cab, in the leg, as well as hitting Gama in the head and right eye. Police have since charged E 18th Street’s Kareem Potomont in the shooting.
Gama returned home from the hospital last week, although doctors are still unsure of whether he will recover sight in his injured eye. Yesterday upon his return to IS 285, Councilmembers Jumaane Williams and Mathieu Eugene held a press conference along with other community representatives to discuss local gun violence and a newly established fund to help Gama and his family with the cost of medical bills and other tools for recovery.
“Gama’s family needs our community’s assistance,” Councilmember Williams told the crowd outside the school. “They need financial assistance to pay rent, purchase food, and to pay for Gama’s medical bills. Thankfully Gama has Medicaid, but that may not cover all of his medical expenses. In addition to financial aid, Gama needs special furniture to relieve some of the tension when he sits and lies. In particular, they need a La-Z-Boy, sofa bed, and Tempur-Pedic bed to help keep his head elevated.
“I know this city. I know we come together for one of our own, and Gama is one of our own. Not only do we want to make sure that we don’t forget him, we want to make sure that when he tells his story, we remember the affects that gun violence has on our community.”
If you’d like to help offset the myriad of expenses being faced by Gama’s family following the shooting, you may do so through the Gama Droiville Rehabilitation & Education YouCaring campaign, which hopes to raise $100,000 by August 1. Just over $3,000 has been raised so far, so we’ve still got a long way to go–but as Councilmember Williams said at yesterday’s event, “I know this city’s going to stand up to make sure Gama is going to be taken care of.”
Photo by Rance Huff/NYC Council
